Adult Dragonfly and Damselfly Pattern Recommendations

[Go Fish]

Here are the BUJP Dragons tied by John. Foam bodies , big ugly Johnny potpie

 

[DryFly82]

Here are the BUJP Dragons tied by John. Foam bodies , big ugly Johnny potpie

Those look realistic and similar to the few I have in my box. The only issue I always seem to have is the hookup rate for me has been poor because of the location of the hook with firmer material in front and behind. Has anyone tried to design a pattern with the hook nearer the butt?

 

[FinLuver]

Those look realistic and similar to the few I have in my box. The only issue I always seem to have is the hookup rate for me has been poor because of the location of the hook with firmer material in front and behind. Has anyone tried to design a pattern with the hook nearer the butt?

Wonder if a shank n stinger combo would work?

 

[skyriver]

Post in thread 'Adult damsels? Need help!'

Jun 24, 2024

I'm a blue braid, black marker and sparse grizzly hackle believer.
I think the reason for this is I usually only opt to fish damsel dries when the water is fairly flat and the fish are slurping instead of jumping. Hookup rate is way better than the circus takes.
I also hate wings of nearly any material in damsels. Many of the wings I've tried get chewed up by the wind or fish and become very weird looking. They also make terrible whistling thru the air. No thanks.
And if the fish are slurping, there's not much flapping of the wings going of so I think wings are over-rated.
The right...

• skyriver

• 

 

[GAT]

I've seen a lot of trout jump out of a lake to take an adult damsel out of the air. As far as my dry fly representations that land on the surface, I can't say those have really worked for me. Nymphs yes, flying adults, no.

Now, if I could tie a fly that could hover like an adult damsel, I might have a better change

One of the brand name flyfishing writers once said he figured out how to present an adult damsel just above the water by using the wind and a very light weight pattern. Tried it ... failed.

I do well enough with damselfly nymphs that I don't lose any sleep over the failure of my damselfly adult patterns.

 

[skyriver]

I've seen a lot of trout jump out of a lake to take an adult damsel out of the air. As far as my dry fly representations that land on the surface, I can't say those have really worked for me. Nymphs yes, flying adults, no.

Now, if I could tie a fly that could hover like an adult damsel, I might have a better change

One of the brand name flyfishing writers once said he figured out how to present an adult damsel just above the water by using the wind and a very light weight pattern. Tried it ... failed.

I do well enough with damselfly nymphs that I don't lose any sleep over the failure of my damselfly adult patterns.

We won't tell you how much fun it is then.

 

[FinLuver]

I've seen a lot of trout jump out of a lake to take an adult damsel out of the air. As far as my dry fly representations that land on the surface, I can't say those have really worked for me. Nymphs yes, flying adults, no.

Now, if I could tie a fly that could hover like an adult damsel, I might have a better change

One of the brand name flyfishing writers once said he figured out how to present an adult damsel just above the water by using the wind and a very light weight pattern. Tried it ... failed.

I do well enough with damselfly nymphs that I don't lose any sleep over the failure of my damselfly adult patterns.

Was on the local mountain stream one day at a nice big rock head of pool scenario. Tossed out a folded body and head deer hair ant. Before it lit bout 16” above the water, up from the depths came a silver bullet of a 14” wild cutthroat. It grab the fly in the air, and in excitement I pull back hard. Luckily, I hit pay dirt…the tussle with that fish was fun.

I don’t think I will ever forget the visual of that fish and that day.

 

[GAT]

We won't tell you how much fun it is then.

Fair enough. If it works for you guys then go ahead on ! I'm just adult damselfly fishing challenged.

 

[SurfnFish]

Fair enough. If it works for you guys then go ahead on ! I'm just adult damselfly fishing challenged.

you're not alone in our club

 

[Travis Bille]

I was at Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park probably a decade ago and got to watch a brown trout stalk around some foliage, launch itself out of the water into said foliage, knock adult damsels on the water surface, and circle back around and eat them. It did it over and over, it was fascinating. I of course did not have a fly rod.

A couple years later I went back and managed to get excited, set the hook too soon, and yank my adult damsel pattern right out of the mouth of an absolutely enormous brown.

I also found a lake in the Trinity Alps with naturally reproducing browns (very rare in that area) that got to legit 16-18". They would ONLY eat damselfly adults and of course I gave my friend my only one.

They don't always fish well, but I've had some memorable experiences